Adam Pash

MetaFilter founder and friend of Lifehacker Matt Haughey has been casually podcasting at MetaFilter for the last four years, and in that time, he's amassed a lot of knowledge handy for anyone looking to learn a little about the art of casting pods.

The guide covers everything from preparation and format to recording, editing, and publishing, and while the software section skews Mac, even it's got useful suggestions that would apply to just about anyone. For example, regarding format:

I listen to a lot of podcasts and the most typical format is 2 or 3 hosts and sometimes one guest. I've never subscribed to a single-person podcast before because I've yet to find a single-person-talking podcast that is interesting enough to stick with. I've tried a few but one person talking is usually pretty boring after a while. Two or three people chattering to each other is the most common format but it's possible to take it too far. The other day I heard a six person podcast that was an utter nightmare. Everyone talked over each other and when it came time to make small quips and jokes you had to wait for five people to make a wise crack. Stick to 2-3 people on your show.

Having listened to and made a couple of appearances on TWiG, his comments on format ring true from my limited experience. Whether you've considered putting together a podcast or you want to improve your existing workflow, it's a good read. Photo by Bernard Goldbach.